Hosting a Game on Battlefield 1942

[Nitro89]

hi, I have Battlefield 1942, its pretty much my only PC game, I have difficulty in hosting games, it just doesn't work, do I need to buy my own server or something?

[MJA]

http://www.seemeplayme.com/gameserverprices.aspx?game_id=26

I think local hosting is free,but i'm not sure

[thecoalman]

Doesn't work at all? No one can connect ? You should be able to host on decent connection but I haven't tried it myself. To rent a server to run that would require a VPS or dedicated which is $$$.

[Nitro89]

can't you host games for free like on xbox360 or PS3?

[thecoalman]

You can but a typical BF game is going to have 30 to 60 players in it. Servers are usually ones that are paid for. I have a pretty good connection but I haven't tried running a server so i really have no idea what the requirements are. The big difference between a home connection and a paid for server is the upstream is not going to be limited. Your usually on big pipe so bandwidth is of no concern.

[Nitro89]

can I purchase my own server and use that? would it be worth it?

[thecoalman]

I use www.jaguarpc.com for hosting my VPS , you might want to post this question in their forum because you'll get better info as to what you need. Once you get a handle on what you need shop around. I've never looked but I'dd imagine there are hosts that specialize in this. I will tell you one thing about jaguarpc , you won't get better customer service bar none. At least from my experience so far, I have 0 complaints, you will find complaints in their forums however that in itself says something when a comapony will air it dirty laundry. Can't make everyone happy and if you aren't getting complints you aren't in business.

[GideonK]

What do you mean by "it just doesn't work"? Are you trying to host on your own PC and no one is connecting to you? what steps have you taken so far to make it work? have you opened the necessary ports?

I am not a gamer but I believe you have do "port forwarding" on your router to enable others to connect to you.

[Nitro89]

I create my game, I play in it, ask my mate to join me, but he can't, I downloaded a couple of server things and it still didn't work, by the way, what is Port Forwarding?

[GideonK]

Port forwarding is opening up a port on your router so that others can connect to you PC.
You have to know the make and model number of your router (that's the unit that your ISP gave you to connect to the internet)
More information:

http://portforward.com/guides.htm

click on left side "port forwarding guides by router"
Select your router, than select your game.
the port for battlefield 1942 is: 14567 UDP
follow the remaining instructions specific to your router.

[Krispy Kritter]

Aside from port forward on your router, you will also have to do the same for any software firewall that you are running.

No additional "server" software is needed. It would also be helpful to know what error(s) your friend is seeing.

[Nitro89]

just a message saying no such connection

[GideonK]

You don't indicate whether you have tried any of the suggestions that Krispy Kritter and myself mentioned.

try this link:
http://support.ea.com/cgi-bin/ea.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=4660&p_created=10...i=&p_topview=1

You may also want to register with the EA site and pose your questions with that support forum.

[Krispy Kritter]

Are we talking about internet or LAN? On a LAN, the game will search for hosts. Over the internet, I believe you (both) have to join a server first. Your friend will then browse for your hosted game name and join. At least that is how the few games I've played online work. The few games I've used that support direct hosting, anyone that wants to connect to you will need to know you IP address.

[sohaibrazzaq]

and to do port forwarding, you have to make sure that you have got a static IP address or it will not work.
I have no problem with hosting games so far, although i never played BF1942 but i play BF2 almost daily, but if more then 20 players connect to you, you are in trouble unless you have got a very high end workstation and extremely fast internet connection.

[sohaibrazzaq]

The few games I've used that support direct hosting, anyone that wants to connect to you will need to know you IP address.

not true, almost every FPS & RTS games has simple hosting, you just host the game and it appears in the available server's list and anyone can join you as long as you don't password protect it. But ofcourse if you want ur game to be big like 64 players then you have to rent a server or the game will lag badly.

[Krispy Kritter]

The few games I've used that support direct hosting, anyone that wants to connect to you will need to know you IP address.

not true, almost every FPS & RTS games has simple hosting, you just host the game and it appears in the available server's list and anyone can join you as long as you don't password protect it. But ofcourse if you want ur game to be big like 64 players then you have to rent a server or the game will lag badly.

How do you view the "available server's list" without being connected to a server first?

NASCAR Racing 2003, for instance, I start the game, enter multi-player mode and then choose online play. The game then connects to a server and will list all of the available games that I can join or I can start (serve) my own game which is then shown on the list. Without joining a server, there isn't a way for your PC to get a list of available servers.

[sohaibrazzaq]

The few games I've used that support direct hosting, anyone that wants to connect to you will need to know you IP address.

not true, almost every FPS & RTS games has simple hosting, you just host the game and it appears in the available server's list and anyone can join you as long as you don't password protect it. But ofcourse if you want ur game to be big like 64 players then you have to rent a server or the game will lag badly.

How do you view the "available server's list" without being connected to a server first?

NASCAR Racing 2003, for instance, I start the game, enter multi-player mode and then choose online play. The game then connects to a server and will list all of the available games that I can join or I can start (serve) my own game which is then shown on the list. Without joining a server, there isn't a way for your PC to get a list of available servers.

its actually called Game Lobby, well a mis-understanding i think, almost any game i have played allows you to connect without knowing ur friends IP, you need to know the ip if you want to connect someone through Hamachi, games i played with friends without knowing there IP address :
Call of duty 2
Call of duty 4
Battlefield 2
Battlefield 2142
Company of heroes - Opposing Fronts
Medieval II - Total War Kingdoms
World in conflict
Age of Empires III
and the list goes on and on

[Nelson37]

Well, if you join some service, they will record your IP and announce your PC as a Server.

But, if you do NOT join a service, no one knows your IP and there is no way to tell that your PC is acting as a server.

So, your friend would need to know your outside IP address, which if not static may change periodically.

Then, you need to know what ports the games uses, and as mentioned, forward that port on the router to the inside IP address of your PC, which if not static may change periodically. It does not HAVE to be static, just if it does change the port forwarding will no longer work.

Nothing special about the PC is required unless the number of connections gets rather high, and even then the limiting factor is available bandwidth rather than PC performance. Having a dedicated server and a seperate gaming PC might help, but bandwidth is still the issue.

For just two or a few, there should be no problem once you get the router set up. Some providers will block such traffic, you might want to check with yours.

[GideonK]

It's all academic now. The OP either got it going or doesn't give a rats a-- anymore.